Sextortion and Blackmail in New York City and well beyond are crimes that are boundlessly expanding in terms of who is targeted and the means by which the crimes are perpetrated. One of likely very few Extortion attorneys and lawyers genuinely skilled and actually experienced in protecting victims from these criminal violations and personal intrusions as a prosecutor and a “fixer” outside the courtroom (but well within the four corners of the law), just as cloaked criminals online and known abusers offline are getting more brazen, creative and aggressive, Saland Law has doubled its efforts with great success shutting down sugar babies, escorts, former affairs other bad actors who threaten humiliation and career destroying exposure in return for tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars and far, far more.
Whether online or off – an ongoing in-person affair, a one-nighter or long-term relationship, a meet-up from Grindr, Seeking Arrangement, Eros, or one of countless other websites, or even a person posing as a teen who targets other teens on Snapchat and Instagram, seizing the upper hand routinely starts with seizing control of the power dynamic and gathering as much information as possible. With this in mind, I share two recent matters below that are indicative of our many success stomping out violators’ conduct and returning clients to the normalcy of life they need and deserve.
Online & Foreign Blackmailer
Arm’s length social engagement is the new norm, and with it so is Extortion by unknown assailants. Bad actors engaged our client on the web and purportedly hacked his computer and online social media and personal email accounts. While it was debatable whether they in fact did so, before retaining Saland Law, our client believed that was the case. At the same time, because our client failed to protect his social media, the Extorters were able to infiltrate his network. Demanding money and payments due to our client’s embarrassing online activity even if legal, though asserting it was not, the criminals demanded payment through numerous apps and other means. Otherwise, they threatened to expose our client and even make false claims to the FBI and NYPD. In fact, before we got involved our client had made significant payments that never satiated his abusers, and after we put an end to these payments they told our client a criminal report was made with the FBI because he stopped paying. Though it did not come to fruition as we “took over” our client’s communications and called their bluff, the harassers did report a false in-the-moment suicide to the NYPD in an effort to “swat” our client. Fortunately, however, upon speaking with a lieutenant, nothing came of that line of attack.
Ultimately, though Blackmailers became more belligerent, Saland Law, along with Sage Intelligence Group’s Herman Weisberg, took the steps to shut down the fraudsters, stopped our client from paying even one more penny, and ended the overseas abuse. Stated simply, our client was beyond relieved and grateful, and his Extorters went on their way.
Long-Term Affair Sextorter
In a far more common scenario, Saland Law, once again with Sage Intelligence Group, represented a client who terminated a long-term affair with a woman of far less financial means and one that was treated as if she was more a “sugar baby” than a regular intimate partner. Though this is “normal” work for both Herman and I in the world of Blackmail, we nonetheless recognize that this is the most frightening and potentially debilitating experience for any Sextortion victim. Again, seizing control of the power dynamic, we became the client’s voice in terms of how and when to respond to his abuser. Ultimately, relying on skills we honed in law enforcement, we prepared for and arranged for controlled calls to lock down our target into her criminality before confronting her with what was in store for her from a legal perspective should she continue on her illegal trajectory. Though quite displeased, she was no fool and recognized her immediate criminal exposure and what it meant to her life and future long-term.
Protecting Victims of Sextortion, Blackmail & Extortion
Whether you are a teen duped into sharing an intimate image with another person online, or even a young adult or a person who is far too old to make such foolish mistakes, engaged in a long-term extramarital relationship with a scorned or jealous lover, or find yourself targeted by a sugar baby, prostitute, or escort you met online or elsewhere, when the consequences are grave in terms of dollars, career, and family, seizing control and implementing the right strategy can make the difference between a divorce, humiliation, and the end of a career, and walking away a bit ashamed and even wounded, but healthy and intact.
As a former prosecutor who earned his stripes leading the case against a crew Extorting a then-NBA Allstar and an attorney who has shut down countless Sextortion attempts at home and abroad -even putting “boots on the ground” overseas to knock on a Blackmailer’s door (much to her shock!), Saland Law has the experience and knowledge to limit your exposure and end the terrifyingly violative conduct these victimizers cavalierly wage.
Don’t be a victim. Don’t jeopardize your family. Don’t destroy your career. Be smart and get the help you need before it is too late.
To learn more about our services, including Sextortion, Blackmail and other victim representation in New York and elsewhere, follow the links above and contact former Manhattan prosecutor and Extortion lawyer, Jeremy Saland.